A Los Angeles County coroner’s official says it appears actress Brittany Murphy died of natural causes.

Murphy, 32 , collapsed in the shower of husband Simon Monjack’s Los Angeles home sometime before 8 a.m., and she was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. She reportedly was discovered in the shower of the home she shared with her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, in Hollywood Hills.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter says the cause of Murphy’s death “appears to be natural” and authorities were looking into her medical history.

But The Sun
newspaper in London quoted friends who say she was abusing painkllers, and they fear Murphy suffered a heart attack brought on by prescription medication like Michael Jackson.

One friend, quoted anonymously, said they feared something like this might happen, and that “Brittany has been living life on the edge. She definitely had a drug problem and we have all begged her to seek help.”

Winter says Murphy’s family is cooperating with the coroner’s investigation. He says an autopsy is planned for Monday or Tuesday, but an official cause of death may take some time since toxicology tests will be required.

Murphy’s father, Angelo Bertolotti, said he learned of her death from his son, the actress’s brother, and was stunned.

“She was just an absolute doll since she was born,” Bertolotti said from his Branford, Fla., home. “Her personality was always outward. Everybody loved her — people that made movies with her, people on a cruise — they all loved her. She was just a regular gal.”

Ashton Kutcher, who once dated Murphy and co-starred with her in 2003’s “Just Married,” posted his condolences on his Twitter page today. “See you on the other side kid,” it began.

“2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon,” read one post.

Murphy’s rep released a brief statement this afternoon: “In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support. It is their wish that you respect their privacy.”

Born in Atlanta, Murphy moved to Burbank with her mother at age 13. Her film break came in “Clueless” (1995), in which she starred opposite Alicia Silverstone.

Murphy has made dozens of other film appearances, including in “Girl, Interrupted” (1999), “8 Mile” (2002), “The Dead Girl” (2006) and “Across the Hall” (2009). She also was featured as the voice of Luanne in the animated TV series “King of the Hill.”

She is due to appear in Sylvester Stallone’s upcoming film, “The Expendables,” set for release next year.

Murphy credited her mother, Sharon, with being a key to her success.

“When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything and moved out here for me,” Murphy told the AP in 2003. “I was really grateful to have grown up in an environment that was conducive to creating and didn’t stifle any of that. She always believed in me.”

It was reported last month that the notoriously difficult-to-deal-with star was fired from an upcoming film project in Puerto Rico and replaced with Twilight’s Rachel Lefevre, because she was too demanding because her husband was getting into fights with locals.

Rumors swirled over Murphy’s extreme weight loss that some suggested might be due to cocaine abuse or plastic surgery, and she defended herself in a 2005 interview. Murphy denied ever using drugs, and said her worst vice was caffeine.

“Wow. No, just for the record I have never tried it in my entire life, I’ve never even seen it, and I don’t leave the house too much, except to go to work,” she said. “My worst vice is caffeine. [The rumor is] really pretty darn far-fetched — it couldn’t be further from the truth. I have known people over the course of my life that have bad problems with drugs, and it’s something really serious.”

“I am also way too high-strung,” she continues. “I can’t even take a Sudafed. Can you imagine? My God. I think my heart would explode. I mean, literally something terrible. That’s awful.”